A very Grover love story
By Lucy Aderholt · Contributing Writer
Known by each other’s players as “Mr. Coach” and “Mrs. Coach,” Steve ’85 and Melissa Lamie met while coaching basketball at Grove City College in 1993. They got married in 1996 and have both been working and coaching at the college ever since.
Melissa was hired as the women’s head soccer and basketball coach, and one year later, Steve was hired as the assistant men’s basketball coach. The late Nancy Paxton, former vice president of student affairs and dean of students, helped set up the relationship.
“(Paxton) was matchmaking and setting us up, like, ‘Hey, they just hired this new basketball assistant, he’s a really good guy. Get to know him – make sure you get to know him,’” Melissa explained.
Steve played basketball at the college, and the head coach recommended him for the new assistant coaching position. Melissa was originally from Colorado, played soccer and basketball at Calvin College and was completely unfamiliar with Grove City until she heard about the job opening in a newspaper.
“I basically saw the job posting, and I knew that it was going to be my job. I’d never heard of Grove City College, I’d never been to Pennsylvania, and I was like, that’s where I’m going,” Melissa said.
The Lamies’ involvement has spanned many aspects of campus, especially early on in their coaching years. Melissa has taught various exercise science and physical education classes, coached women’s basketball for 13 years, men’s and women’s golf for 10 years and is now in her 33rd year of coaching women’s soccer.
Steve taught biology, physical education and exercise science classes. He was a resident director, coached track for nearly 10 years and is now in his 32nd year of coaching men’s basketball.
“I’m working where I want to work. Look, this is my dream job, and it’s more than just a job – it’s my life,” Steve said.
Melissa shared funny aspects about dating Steve when he was the resident director of Hopeman, like having to sign in, like the students, and get permission from Mrs. Paxton to be in his room.
The couple also explained how working together has impacted their lives. “(Coaching) at the same place is good because it has allowed us to be very invested in our home here,” Melissa said.
Grove City College is a unique place to coach, as it allows the Lamies to apply their faith to their teams. “The biggest thing is being able to combine my faith with what I’m doing … I’ve always felt the freedom to make it about more than soccer and make it about more than being a good person, but really to get into tying it to your faith,” Melissa said. “I’ve always felt supported in that.”
“It has grown us in our faith because we’re with like-minded kids, like-minded administrators and faculty that sharpen us. It’s a really wholesome place … So, just being in a Christian community, I don’t want to ever take that for granted. I love that. That’s changed us,” Steve said.
There are definitely hardships that come with coaching college sports as a married couple. The Lamies explained that coaching in the same season was incredibly difficult. Now, their seasons offset each other, and they have help from family during any overlap. When one is in season, the other has more responsibilities at home, and they both understand the job’s demanding nature firsthand.
Their family is involved in the college’s community as well. Their oldest daughter played soccer and graduated from the college, and their younger twins chase balls for the soccer team and often walk to campus after school.
“(The Lamies) have been a good example of what putting your faith in, coaching at the same time and balancing a family can look like … (and) showing us what it looks like to have your priorities correct in the realm of coaching,” Maggie Miller, the assistant women’s soccer coach, said.
The Lamies have built relationships with and positively impacted many students during their time so far at Grove City College. “It’s my alma mater … I’m going to do well for the place that I call home. We believe in working in a place where you really believe in the mission,” Steve said.
Melissa agreed, “It’s home. I mean, we built a house a couple of years after we got married. And he loves Pennsylvania. He’s from Pennsylvania, and he would be happy if he never had to leave. I like to go to Colorado sometimes and things like that, but I don’t foresee us going anywhere else until we’re done.”
